MOSCOW: Russia is lashing out at the U.S. over a deal signed with Poland to place a missile defense facility in the former Soviet satellite state.

Russia's Foreign Ministry says the U.S. missile shield plans are clearly aimed at weakening Russia and that Moscow's response to any development beyond the current plans will go beyond diplomacy.

The ministry's statement Wednesday was not as stark as the warning from a Russian general last week that Poland is risking a Russian attack, possibly even with nuclear weapons, by agreeing to host American interceptors.

But it came amid severe tension between Russia and the U.S. over the war in Georgia.